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is a Virginia holding company incorporated in 1987.
+Added: In March 2008, we became a U.S.
+Added: public company listed on the New York Stock Exchange and subject to the rules of the U.S.
+Added: Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC").
We are a leading international tobacco company, actively delivering a smoke-free future and evolving our portfolio for the long term to include products outside of the tobacco and nicotine sector.
−Removed: Our current product portfolio primarily consists of cigarettes and smoke-free products, which include heat-not-burn, vapor, and oral nicotine products.
−Removed: Since 2008, we have invested $12.5 billion to develop, scientifically substantiate and commercialize innovative smoke-free products for adults who would otherwise continue to smoke, with the goal of completely ending the sale of cigarettes.
+Added: Our current product portfolio primarily consists of cigarettes and smoke-free products.
+Added: Since 2008, we have invested over $14 billion to develop, scientifically substantiate and commercialize innovative smoke-free products for adults who would otherwise continue to smoke, with the goal of completely ending the sale of cigarettes.
This investment includes the building of world-class scientific assessment capabilities, notably in the areas of pre-clinical systems toxicology, clinical and behavioral research, as well as post-market studies.
In November 2022, we acquired Swedish Match AB ("Swedish Match") – a leader in oral nicotine delivery – creating a global smoke-free combination led by the companies’ IQOS and ZYN brands.
−Removed: Food and Drug Administration (the "FDA") has authorized versions of our IQOS Platform 1 devices and consumables, and Swedish Match's General snus, as Modified Risk Tobacco Products ("MRTPs").
+Added: Following a robust science-based review, the U.S.
+Added: Food and Drug Administration (the "FDA") has authorized the marketing of Swedish Match’s General snus and ZYN nicotine pouches and versions of PMI’s IQOS devices and consumables - the first-ever such authorizations in their respective categories.
+Added: Versions of IQOS devices and consumables and General snus also obtained the first-ever Modified Risk Tobacco Product ("MRTP") authorizations from the FDA.
We describe the MRTP orders in more detail in the "Business Environment" section of Item 7.
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations .
−Removed: In March 2008, we became a U.S.
−Removed: public company listed on the New York Stock Exchange and subject to the rules of the U.S.
−Removed: Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC").
−Removed: In September 2021, we laid the foundation for our long-term growth ambitions beyond nicotine in wellness and healthcare, including the milestone acquisitions of Vectura Group plc and Fertin Pharma A/S, which provide essential capabilities for future product development.
−Removed: Now, through our Vectura Fertin Pharma business, with a strong foundation and significant expertise in life sciences, we aim to expand into wellness and healthcare areas.
−Removed: Through our acquisition of Swedish Match, we acquired a market leader in oral nicotine delivery with a significant presence in the United States market.
−Removed: The Swedish Match acquisition was a key milestone in PMI’s transformation to becoming a smoke-free company.
−Removed: Our consolidated statements of earnings for the year ended December 31, 2022, include the results of operations of Swedish Match from November 11, 2022 (acquisition date) to December 31, 2022.
−Removed: The operating results of Swedish Match are included in a separate segment.
−Removed: In the fourth quarter of 2022, we also completed an agreement with Altria Group, Inc.
+Added: Through our acquisition of Swedish Match in 2022, with its leading nicotine pouch franchise in the U.S.
+Added: under the ZYN brand name, we acquired a market leader in oral nicotine delivery with a significant presence in the United States market.
+Added: The Swedish Match acquisition has been a key milestone in PMI’s transformation to becoming a smoke-free company.
+Added: The Swedish Match product portfolio is complementary to our existing portfolio, permitting us to bring together a leading oral nicotine product with the leading heat-not-burn product.
+Added: By joining forces with Swedish Match, we expect to accelerate the achievement of our joint smoke-free ambitions, switching more adults who would otherwise continue to smoke cigarettes to better alternatives faster than either company could achieve separately.
+Added: In 2022, we reached an agreement with Altria Group, Inc.
to end our commercial relationship in the U.S.
covering IQOS as of April 30, 2024.
−Removed: Thereafter, PMI will have the full rights to commercialize IQOS in the U.S.
−Removed: For further details of our 2021 and 2022 acquisitions, see Item 8, Note 3.
−Removed: Acquisitions and Note 13.
−Removed: Segment Reporting , and for additional details concerning the agreement with Altria, see Item 7.
−Removed: Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation - Operating Results by Business Segment - Business Environment.
−Removed: Smoke-free products ("SFPs") is the term we primarily use to refer to all of our products that are not combustible tobacco products, such as heat-not-burn, e-vapor, and oral nicotine.
−Removed: In addition, SFPs include wellness and healthcare products, as well as consumer accessories such as lighters and matches.
−Removed: Reduced-risk products ("RRPs") is the term we use to refer to products that present, are likely to present, or have the potential to present less risk of harm to smokers who switch to these products versus continuing to smoke.
−Removed: We have a range of RRPs in various stages of development, scientific assessment and commercialization.
−Removed: Our RRPs are smoke-free products that contain and/or generate far lower quantities of harmful and potentially harmful constituents than found in cigarette smoke.
−Removed: Our RRPs and commercial activities for these products are designed for, and directed toward, current adult smokers and users of nicotine-containing products.
+Added: PMI now holds the full rights to commercialize IQOS in the U.S.
+Added: For further details, see Item 8, Note 3.
+Added: Acquisitions and Divestitures .
+Added: In 2021, we began our long-term growth ambitions beyond nicotine in wellness and healthcare given our strong foundation and significant expertise in life sciences.
+Added: Our Wellness and Healthcare business strategy currently focuses on developing and commercializing oral and inhaled consumer health and wellness offerings and inhaled prescription products for therapy areas that include pain management and cardiovascular emergencies.
+Added: This includes medical and pharmaceutical cannabinoids, and non-recreational cannabinoid products (including CBD), in line with applicable regulatory requirements, though any revenue related to cannabinoids is expected to be negligible in the near to medium term.
+Added: Smoke-Free Business ("SFB”) is the term PMI uses to refer to all of its smoke-free products.
+Added: SFB also includes wellness and healthcare products, as well as consumer accessories, such as lighters and matches.
+Added: Smoke-free products (also referred to herein as "SFPs") is the term PMI uses to refer to all of its products that provide nicotine without combusting tobacco, such as heat-not-burn, e-vapor, and oral smokeless, and that therefore generate far lower levels of harmful chemicals.
+Added: As such, these products have the potential to present less risk of harm versus continued smoking.
+Added: We have a range of SFPs in various stages of development, scientific assessment and commercialization.
+Added: Our smoke-free products are designed for, and directed toward, current adult smokers and adult users of nicotine-containing products.
We put significant effort to restrict access of our products from non-smokers and youth.
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Our IQOS smoke-free product brand portfolio includes heated tobacco and nicotine-containing vapor products.
−Removed: Our leading smoke-free platform ("Platform 1") uses a precisely controlled heating device into which a specially designed and proprietary tobacco unit is inserted and heated to generate an aerosol.
−Removed: Heated tobacco units ("HTU") is the term we use to refer to heated tobacco consumables,
−Removed: which include our BLENDS , DELIA , HEETS , HEETS Creations, HEETS Dimensions (defined collectively as " HEETS") , Marlboro HeatSticks, SENTIA, TEREA, TEREA CRAFTED, and TEREA Dimensions, as well as the KT&G-licensed brands, Fiit and Miix (outside of South Korea).
−Removed: HTU's also include zero tobacco heat-not-burn consumables ( LEVIA ).
−Removed: Platform 1 was first introduced in Nagoya, Japan, in 2014.
+Added: It uses a precisely controlled heating device into which a specially designed and proprietary tobacco unit is inserted and heated to generate an aerosol.
+Added: Heated tobacco units ("HTUs") is the term we use to refer to heated tobacco consumables, which include our BLENDS , DELIA , HEETS , HEETS Creations (defined collectively as " HEETS "), SENTIA , TEREA, TEREA CRAFTED and TEREA Dimensions, as well
+Added: as the KT&G-licensed brands, Fiit and Miix (outside of South Korea).
+Added: HTUs also include zero tobacco heat-not-burn consumables ( LEVIA ).
+Added: IQOS was first introduced in Nagoya, Japan, in 2014.
+Added: IQOS and ZYN are the leading brands in our SFPs portfolio.
As of December 31, 2024, our smoke-free products were available for sale in 95 markets.
−Removed: At the time of our acquisition of Swedish Match, it already had a leading nicotine pouch franchise in the U.S.
−Removed: under the ZYN brand name .
−Removed: The Swedish Match product portfolio is complementary to our existing smoke-free portfolio, permitting us to bring together a leading oral nicotine product with the leading heat-not-burn product.
−Removed: By joining forces with Swedish Match, we expect to accelerate the achievement of our joint smoke-free ambitions, switching more adults who would otherwise continue to smoke to better alternatives faster than either company could achieve separately.
+Added: With regard to nicotine pouches, we increased our presence to 37 markets.
Our cigarettes are sold in approximately 170 markets, and in many of these markets they hold the number one or number two market share position.
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Our other leading international cigarette brands are Chesterfield, L&M , and Philip Morris.
−Removed: These five international cigarette brands contributed approximately 79% of our cigarette shipment volume in 2023.
+Added: These five international cigarette brands contributed 80% of our cigarette shipment volume in 2024.
We also own a number of important local cigarette brands, such as Dji Sam Soe and Sampoerna A in Indonesia, and Fortune and Jackpot in the Philippines.
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As a holding company, our principal sources of funds, including funds to make payment on our debt securities, are from the receipt of dividends and repayment of debt from our subsidiaries.
−Removed: Our principal wholly owned and majority-owned subsidiaries currently are not limited by long-term debt or other agreements in their ability to pay cash dividends or to make other distributions that are otherwise compliant with law.
+Added: Our principal wholly owned and majority-owned subsidiaries currently are not limited by long-term debt or other agreements in their ability to pay cash dividends or to make other distributions that are otherwise compliant with law, including governmental capital and foreign currency exchange controls.
Description of Business
−Removed: To further support the growth of our smoke-free business, reinforce consumer centricity, and increase the speed of innovation and deployment, in January 2023, we rearranged our operations in four geographical segments, down from the previous six, as follows:
+Added: Following the combination and the progress in 2023 toward the integration of the Swedish Match business into PMI's existing regional structure, PMI updated in January 2024 its segment reporting by including the former Swedish Match segment results into the four existing geographical segments.
+Added: Our four geographical segments are as follows:
• Europe Region is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, and covers all the European Union countries, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and also Ukraine, Moldova and Southeast Europe;
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• Americas Region is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, and covers the United States, Canada and Latin America.
−Removed: The operations of Swedish Match, which reflects our fourth quarter 2022 acquisition of the company, and our Wellness and Healthcare segment remained unchanged.
−Removed: The Wellness and Healthcare ("W&H") segment includes the operating results of our Wellness and Healthcare business, Vectura Fertin Pharma.
−Removed: Following the combination and the progress in 2023 toward the integration of the Swedish Match business into the existing PMI regional segment structure, we will update our segment reporting by including Swedish Match results in the four existing geographical segments.
−Removed: As of the first quarter of 2024, we will report on this basis.
+Added: Our Wellness and Healthcare ("W&H") segment, which includes the operating results of our Wellness and Healthcare business, remained unchanged in 2024.
+Added: Following the sale of Vectura Group Ltd.
+Added: on December 31, 2024, we will update our segment reporting by including the remaining Wellness & Healthcare results in the Europe segment.
+Added: In addition, we will be renaming our “PMI Duty Free” business to “PMI Global Travel Retail” effective in the first quarter of 2025.
+Added: As a result of this change, PMI's segment that includes our duty free business will be renamed East Asia, Australia & PMI Global Travel Retail (“EA, AU & PMI GTR”).
+Added: As of the first quarter of 2025, our reporting will reflect these changes.
Our total shipment volume, including cigarettes and heated tobacco units, increased by 2.5% in 2024 to 756.6 billion units, with shipment volume of heated tobacco units reaching 139.7 billion units in 2024, up from 125.3 billion units in 2023.
−Removed: Shipment volume of our principal cigarette brand, Marlboro , decreased by 1.9% in 2023.
−Removed: References in this Form 10-K to total international market, defined as worldwide cigarette and heated tobacco unit volume, excluding the United States, total industry (or total market) and market shares, are our estimates for tax-paid products based on the latest
−Removed: available data from a number of internal and external sources, and may, in defined instances, exclude China and/or our duty free business.
+Added: Shipment volume of our principal cigarette brand, Marlboro , increased by 3.7% in 2024.
+Added: References in this Form 10-K to total international market, defined as worldwide cigarette and heated tobacco unit volume, excluding the United States, total industry (or total market) and market shares, are our estimates for tax-paid products based on data from a number of internal and external sources, and may, in defined instances, exclude China.
+Added: Past reported periods may be updated to ensure comparability and to incorporate the most current information for industry and market share reporting.
Unless otherwise stated, references to total industry (or total market), our shipment volume and our market share performance reflect cigarettes and heated tobacco units.
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• Our own e-commerce infrastructure for product sales to trade partners and to consumers;
−Removed: • Our own brand retail infrastructure for our RRPs and accessories for sales to consumers.
+Added: • Our own brand retail infrastructure for our SFPs and accessories for sales to consumers.
We are subject to highly competitive conditions in all aspects of our business.
−Removed: We compete primarily on the basis of product quality, brand recognition, brand loyalty, taste, R&D, innovation, packaging, customer service, marketing, advertising and retail price and, increasingly, adult smoker willingness to convert to our RRPs.
+Added: We compete primarily on the basis of product quality, brand recognition, brand loyalty, taste, R&D, innovation, packaging, customer service, marketing, advertising and retail price.
The competitive environment and our competitive position can be significantly influenced by weak economic conditions;
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competitors' introduction of lower-price products or innovative products;
−Removed: novel products which given their taste characteristics may be more commercially successful;
+Added: adult smoker willingness to convert to our SFPs;
higher product taxes;
higher absolute prices and larger gaps between retail price categories;
−Removed: and product regulation that diminishes the ability to differentiate tobacco products, restricts adult consumer access to truthful and non-misleading information about our RRPs, or disproportionately impacts the commercialization of our products in relation to our competitors.
−Removed: Competitors in our industry include British American Tobacco plc, Japan Tobacco Inc., Imperial Brands plc, new market entrants, particularly with respect to innovative products, several regional and local tobacco companies and, in some instances, state-owned tobacco enterprises, principally in Algeria, Egypt, China, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.
+Added: and product regulation that diminishes the ability to differentiate tobacco products, restricts adult consumer access to truthful and non-misleading information about our SFPs, or disproportionately impacts the commercialization of our products in relation to our competitors.
+Added: Competitors in our industry include Altria Group, Inc., British American Tobacco plc, Japan Tobacco Inc., Imperial Brands plc, new market entrants, particularly with respect to innovative products, several regional and local tobacco companies and, in some instances, state-owned tobacco enterprises, principally in Algeria, Egypt, China, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.
Some competitors have different profit, volume and regulatory objectives, and some international competitors may be less susceptible than PMI to changes in currency exchange rates.
Certain new market entrants in the non-combustible product category may alienate consumers from innovative products through inappropriate marketing campaigns, messaging and inferior product satisfaction, and without scientific substantiation based on appropriate R&D protocols and standards.
−Removed: The growing use of digital media could increase the speed and extent of the dissemination of inaccurate and misleading information about our RRPs, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our profitability and results of operations.
+Added: The growing use of digital media could increase the speed and extent of the dissemination of inaccurate and misleading information about our SFPs, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our profitability and results of operations.
Procurement and Raw Materials
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The largest supplies of tobacco leaf are sourced from Argentina, Brazil, China, India, Italy, Indonesia (mostly for domestic use in kretek products), Malawi, Mozambique, the Philippines, Turkey and the United States.
−Removed: We believe that there is an adequate supply of tobacco leaf in the world markets to satisfy our current and anticipated production requirements.
+Added: We believe that there is a sufficient supply of tobacco leaf in the world markets to satisfy our current and anticipated production requirements.
Given the global reach of our value chain, properly managing land and water resources and utilizing a geographically diversified sourcing strategy for agricultural products are priorities as we seek to increase the resilience of our production systems and minimize operational risks.
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In 2024, our top ten suppliers of direct materials combined represented approximately 60% of our total direct materials purchases.
−Removed: The four most significant direct materials that we purchase are printed paper board used in packaging, acetate tow used in filter making, fine paper used in the manufacturing of cigarettes and heated tobacco units, and susceptors used for the TEREA heated tobacco units.
+Added: The four most significant direct materials that we purchase are printed paper board used in packaging, acetate tow used in filter making, fine paper used in the manufacturing of cigarettes and heated tobacco units, and susceptors used for TEREA and other consumables.
In addition, the adequate supply and procurement of cloves are of particular importance to our Indonesian business.
−Removed: We discuss the details of our supply chain for our RRPs in Item 7.
+Added: For our oral smoke-free products, direct materials include plastic cans and lids for nicotine pouches and traditional snus products, nicotine salt or nicotine premix for nicotine pouches, pouch material for individual pouchmaking and additives.
+Added: Our devices are made by various electronic manufacturing services providers ("EMS").
+Added: The components used in the assembly of these devices can be made by the EMS or purchased from other suppliers.
+Added: These components include mechanical parts, electrical and electromechanical components, batteries, semiconductors, and packaging materials.
+Added: We discuss the details of our supply chain for our SFPs in Item 7.
Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of this Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Item 7”) in Business Environment—Reduced-Risk Products .
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Our Workforce .
−Removed: At December 31, 2023, including Swedish Match's employees, we employed approximately 82,700 people worldwide of more than 130 different nationalities, including full-time, temporary and part-time staff.
+Added: At December 31, 2024, we employed approximately 83,100 people worldwide, including full-time, temporary and part-time staff.
Our businesses are subject to a number of laws and regulations relating to our relationship with our employees.
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We engage with legally recognized employee representative bodies and we have collective bargaining agreements in several of the countries in which we operate.
−Removed: In addition, in accordance with European Union requirements, we have established a European Works Council composed of management and elected members of our workforce.
+Added: In addition, in accordance with E.U.
+Added: requirements, we have established a European Works Council composed of management and elected members of our workforce.
We believe we maintain good relations with our employees and their representative organizations.
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To be successful in our transformation to a smoke-free future, we must continue transforming our culture and ways of working, align our talent with our business needs, successfully integrate acquired businesses and innovate to become a truly consumer-centric business.
−Removed: To achieve our strategic goals, we need to attract, retain and motivate the best global talent, talent that is diverse and has the right degree of experience, competencies and skills.
−Removed: Therefore, we strive to ensure the development of our existing talent while recruiting those with expertise in areas that are relatively new to us such as digital and technical solutions.
+Added: To achieve our strategic goals, we need to attract, retain, develop and motivate the best global talent, talent that is diverse and has the right degree of experience, competencies and skills.
Our compensation and benefit programs are set at the levels that we believe are necessary to attract the best talent and remain competitive with other consumer product companies.
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Our Board of Directors (the "Board") provides oversight of various matters pertaining to our workforce.
−Removed: The Compensation and Leadership Development Committee of the Board is responsible for executive compensation matters and oversight of the risks and programs related to talent management.
−Removed: Our Code of Conduct highlights our commitment to ethical business conduct and honesty, respect, and fairness.
−Removed: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion .
−Removed: At PMI, we believe that a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture are strategic priorities that help fuel innovation and business success.
−Removed: We aspire to maintain a minimum of 40% female representation globally in management positions in most of our business functions and regions, and to have at least 35% of senior positions held by women globally by 2025.
−Removed: Given the size and continued growth of our business in Asia, it is also our aspiration to have at least 20% of senior roles held by Asian talent globally and at least 60% representation of local talent in our market management teams by 2025.
−Removed: We were the first multinational company to receive a global EQUAL-SALARY certification from the EQUAL-SALARY Foundation in 2019.
−Removed: In 2022, we were re-certified as a global EQUAL-SALARY organization for the second time, verifying that PMI continues to pay female and male employees equally for equal work everywhere where we operate.
−Removed: This achievement is an important milestone toward the creation of a more diverse and inclusive workplace and the continuation of our reputation as a top employer.
−Removed: In 2023, we completed another year of market level reviews with success and maintained our global certification.
−Removed: Creation of employee resource groups ("ERGs") was another important priority to drive further inclusion at PMI.
−Removed: Our ERGs are open to participation by all employees and we believe they help build an enhanced sense of belonging, visibility, and greater understanding of different experiences and dimensions of diversity in our company.
−Removed: Currently, we have established global ERGs for race, ethnicity and cultural diversity, LGBTQ+, gender, parents and caregivers, and disability dimensions concerning our employees.
−Removed: Each global ERG is sponsored by a member of the PMI senior leadership team to reinforce the fact that our strong commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion comes from the top.
−Removed: In 2023, we continued to focus on the growth of our global ERGs, and to expand them locally, to be able to meet the specific needs of different markets and regions.
+Added: The Compensation and Leadership Development Committee of the Board is responsible for executive compensation matters and oversight of the risks and programs related to human capital management.
+Added: Our Code of Conduct and Corporate Governance Guidelines highlight our commitment to ethical business conduct and honesty, respect, and fairness.
+Added: Collaborative Culture .
+Added: We are proud of the global reach of our company, which operates in approximately 170 markets with employees representing more than 130 nationalities.
+Added: We reflect the demographics of the countries, communities, and consumers we serve, which is key to the variety of thought, innovation, and consumer-centric approach that enables us to deliver a smoke-free future.
+Added: Our focus is on fostering a performance-driven and collaborative culture, recognizing the value of our global workforce and their contributions.
+Added: We remain committed to the impact, growth, and well-being of our employees, providing them with the right environment, support, and resources for their careers and professional development.
+Added: These principles are codified in our cultural values, which we call the PMI DNA, and we embed these principles throughout our people and business guidelines, practices, and systems.
+Added: As the first multinational company to receive a global EQUAL-SALARY certification from the EQUAL-SALARY Foundation in 2019, we completed another year of market level reviews with success and maintained our global certification.
+Added: We believe this certification is a valuable component in our reputation as an employer.
Government Regulation
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Our environmental and occupational health and safety management program includes policies, standard practices and procedures at all our manufacturing centers.
−Removed: Furthermore, we have engaged an external certification body to validate the effectiveness of this management program at our manufacturing centers around the world, in accordance with internationally recognized standards for safety and environmental management.
+Added: Furthermore, we have engaged an external certification body to validate the effectiveness of this management program at our manufacturing centers around the world, in accordance with internationally recognized standards ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 for safety and environmental management.
+Added: Furthermore, we progressively certify our manufacturing centers against AWS (Alliance for Water Stewardship) and Carbon Neutrality, requiring improvement actions year on year.
Our subsidiaries expect to continue to make investments in order to drive improved performance and maintain compliance with environmental laws and regulations.
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Based on current regulations, the management and controls we have in place and our review of climate change risks (both physical and regulatory), environmental expenditures have not had, and are not expected to have, a material adverse effect on our consolidated results of operations, capital expenditures, financial position, earnings or competitive position.
−Removed: Based on current regulations, compliance with government regulations, including environmental regulations, has not had, and is not expected to have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, capital expenditures, financial position, earnings, or competitive position.
As discussed in more detail in Item 1A.
Risk Factors , our financial results could be significantly affected by regulatory initiatives that could result in a significant decrease in demand for our brands or by climate-related regulations that increase our cost of operation.
−Removed: More specifically, any regulatory requirements that lead to a commoditization of tobacco products or impede adult consumers' ability to convert to our RRPs, as well as any significant increase in the cost of complying with new regulatory requirements could have a material adverse effect on our financial results.
+Added: More specifically, any regulatory requirements that lead to a commoditization of tobacco products or impede adult consumers' ability to convert to our SFPs, as well as any significant increase in the cost of complying with new regulatory requirements could have a material adverse effect on our financial results.
Further, tightened climate-related regulation may lead to additional carbon taxation or energy price increases impacting our cost of operation.
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Our trademarks are valuable assets, and their protection and reputation are essential to us.
−Removed: We own the trademark rights to all of our principal brands, including Marlboro , HEETS, IQOS , IQOS ILUMA, TEREA , and ZYN, or have the right to use them in all countries in which these brands are advertised or sold.
+Added: We own the trademark rights to all of our principal brands, including Marlboro (outside of the U.S.), HEETS, IQOS , IQOS ILUMA, TEREA , VEEV and ZYN, or have the right to use them in all countries in which these brands are advertised or sold.
In addition, we have a large number of granted patents and pending patent applications worldwide.
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including, among other things, an agreement relating to intellectual property rights consistent with the commercialization rights for relevant IQOS products.
+Added: On February 1, 2024, Philip Morris Products S.A., an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of PMI, and Nicoventures Trading Limited, an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of British American Tobacco p.l.c., entered into a settlement agreement (the “Settlement Agreement”) for an eight-year term, under which, among other things:
+Added: (i) certain pending legal proceedings (the “Proceedings”) between them concerning certain of their respective products were dismissed with prejudice, subject to certain limited exceptions, and
+Added: without admission of liability;
+Added: (ii) the Limited Exclusion Order and Cease and Desist Order issued by the International Trade Commission on September 29, 2021, prohibiting the importation of certain heat-not-burn products by PMI and its affiliates into the United States was rescinded;
+Added: and (iii) any injunctions granted to either party in the Proceedings were fully and finally discharged, without admission of liability.
+Added: The parties have also agreed to certain covenants not to sue on a perpetual, royalty-free basis or on a royalty-bearing basis, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Settlement Agreement, and, among other things, both parties may introduce certain heat-not-burn and vapor products under the Settlement Agreement (including certain evolutions of the existing heat-not-burn and e-vapor products, and certain variants and product line extensions of heat-not-burn and e-vapor products), which products may be royalty-bearing or royalty-free depending on the patents of the other party that may have been used in the development thereof.
Our business segments are not significantly affected by seasonality, although in certain markets cigarette consumption may be lower during the winter months due to the cold weather and may rise during the summer months due to outdoor use, longer daylight, and tourism.
−Removed: However, we typically experience slower RRP adult user growth in the third quarter and an acceleration in the fourth quarter of each year due to seasonal influences.
+Added: However, we typically experience higher SFP adult user growth in the first half of each year versus the second half of each year due to seasonal influences.
Available Information
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Compared sentence by sentence after normalising whitespace, quotation marks, case and digits, so re-formatting and restated figures do not read as changed language. Wording changes appear as one removal and one addition. The current filing and the prior one are authoritative.